


To Carry Your Heart

by AwkwardPotatoChild



Series: UkaTake Week 2021 [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Drinking, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Smoking, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28633593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardPotatoChild/pseuds/AwkwardPotatoChild
Summary: If you remember me, then I don’t care if everyone else forgets. - Haruki Murakami
Relationships: Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin
Series: UkaTake Week 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2097483
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42
Collections: UkaTake Week 2021





	To Carry Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm back again with another late fic for UkaTake Week fsdkljsa  
> Once again, I wasn't planning on writing this, but I have no self-control and this morning, I just had to, so here y'all go.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy this one too!

Takeda smiled to himself as he watched Karasuno excitedly talking and laughing over dinner. Checking the time, it was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, all of them were crying over their loss at Nationals, but then again, children were resilient and he knew his children well enough to know that they’d all bounce back more determined than ever. It would take more than that to keep them down.

Whether it was from the crowded rowdiness or the alcohol, Takeda felt himself growing warm and decided it was time for him to get some fresh air. He gave a nod to Daichi and Suga, who silently reassured him that they’d watch over everyone before turning to calm down Hinata and Kageyama as he got up and left the restaurant. Yeah, they’ll be fine, he thought to himself as he walked outside. The cool night air was what hit him first, washing over him, but it wasn’t long before the familiar scent of cigarette smoke followed and he realized he wasn’t alone.

“Oh, sensei.”

Takeda turned to see Ukai standing just outside the restaurant too. It seems he wasn’t the only one that needed a break and he went over to join him as he smoked.

“Hey,” Takeda greeted. “Taking a break too?”

Ukai snorted and gave a nod. “Yeah, figured it’d be good to let the kids have their moment. Maybe it’ll tire them out enough and they won’t be up all night.”

“Oh, we both know that won’t stop them and they’ll just end up sleeping on the way home.”

The two of them laughed at this. Ukai held out his cigarette, wordlessly offering one to Takeda, but he declined. They fell into a companionable silence after that, just the two of them enjoying the night together as they reflected on everything they went through to get here. A year hasn’t even passed since they first met and yet, they’ve been through so much together already, learned so much about each other too. Glancing over to see Ukai serenely looking up at the stars, Takeda couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face.

“Ukai-kun,” he spoke up suddenly, “thank you.”

Ukai raised an eyebrow at this.

“Thank you for all of your help,” he continued. “We wouldn’t have made it this far without your help. I’m really glad you decided to coach them.”

Takeda gave Ukai a low bow as he said this. He heard Ukai make an odd noise and straightened to see him awkwardly looking away. Takeda wondered if perhaps he had said something wrong, but Ukai quickly dismissed the notion with a shake of his head.

“Hey, you don’t gotta thank me, sensei,” he said. “The kids deserved some support and I just did the best that I could. Besides, we should really be the ones thanking you.”

“Me?” It was now Takeda’s turn to be confused. “What did I do?”

Ukai looked like he was about to laugh, thinking that Takeda was joking, but when he saw the genuine confusion on Takeda’s face, he stopped himself. Instead, his expression grew serious. He then stubbed out his cigarette and moved closer, placing a hand on Takeda’s shoulder.

“Sensei, you’re the reason I’m even here,” confessed Ukai. “You were the one that found me to begin with and you were the one that convinced me to help. I may be the coach, but you’re what kept this team together.”

“Ukai-kun…”

“And I mean it! I know you feel like you’re not doing much, but you’ve done so much for me and the team.” Ukai looked down at Takeda with gratitude and a soft smile on his face. “We would’ve missed out on so many opportunities if it weren’t for you,” he continued. “You knew nothing about volleyball, either, but you supported these kids from day 1. People may remember me for my name, but I remember you because of all that you’ve done.”

Takeda stared at Ukai with wide eyes at his confession. He watched as Ukai stepped back and was finally hit with the weight of what Ukai had just said. He suddenly felt an aching within his chest and he gulped when he heard how loudly his heart was pounding within his ears. “I- I see,” Takeda finally managed to stutter out. “Well, in that case, so long as you remember me, I’m alright with others forgetting.”

“Sensei-”

“I don’t need everyone to remember me. I’m just a teacher, after all, and a literature one, at that. I’m not actually a volleyball coach like you,” Takeda cut in. He clenched his fist and searched for his courage as he continued speaking. “But for the person who knows me best and the person I’ve worked alongside the most to remember me, that’s enough. That’s more than enough, Ukai-kun. Thank you.”

Both of them stared at each other, hearts beating loudly. Neither of them could come up with more words, but then again, what they had just said was more than enough. Like Takeda had mentioned, after working together all this time, day and night, they knew each other best, far better than they thought they really did. So while it wasn’t directly said, the two of them knew what was really hidden between each of the words in their confession.

_ Thank you and I love you. _

With a smile, Takeda moved to be by Ukai’s side, not quite touching, but not quite apart either. Just two separate people choosing to be one. The sound of their children laughing and celebrating a distant memory behind them. They said nothing as they looked up at the stars, twinkling in the distance, and they said nothing when their hands came together and they walked back inside. They said nothing again when they herded the team back to the inn and they said nothing that night as they fell into each other’s arms, holding each other.

No words were needed between the two of them for they both already knew and they would always remember.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
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